Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-12-15
MUSIC AT rooUs.


What Manager Thisme Has Done.
A correspondent of the Metronome, mus
ical paper published in New York, writes a.
follows:
An advance in the culture and perse in the
style and manner of execution of music is
now very evident in the valley of the Kenne-
bee, and its influence permeates the whole
State of Maine. Perhaps more than to any
other cause this may be attributed to the
National Home Band, an organization of the
Eastern Branch of the National Home d. "
s., at Togus, Maine At the organization of
the Home in 1867. in looking forward to the
amusement of the men, as well as to its gen.
eral use, band was considered a prime ne
cessity, and steps were taken for its forma-
ton. Naturally enough among the members
were found many who had been members of
other bands and drum corps in the war just
closed. and steps were taken for their tenn
porary organization. They officiated at in
spections, at funerals and gave frequent open
AIR concerts during the season. As the branch
increased its membership, more and more
attention was given to this department, till
the National Home Band had become a rec
ognized fixture among the musical organiza-
ministration of Gen. W s. Tilton as Cover
nor of the Home in 1888, Gen. Luther
Stephenson determined upon decided reor-
ganization of this branch, and upon casting
about for person as leader who combined
the executive talent with the musical ability,
finally decided upon Berthold W Theme as
the right man for the place.
Mr.. Theme was born in Germany in lsi9:
when boy, child of nine years, he played
violin, tympanies, and small drum in a
military band for concerts, from symphonies
to dance music. Entered, practiced for three
years and graduated at the Musical College
of Julius Won Unruh; he then served for
three years as first piston player in the Second
Brandenberg Grenadiers, Regiment No. IL;
then two years as hugelhorn player in the
Seyenty-sixth Regiment of Hamburg. He
left Germany as leader of a band on an
American man-ofwar; has since played in
Graffullas and Felix Eben's Seventy-first
Regiment bands. of New York; led the
Taunton, Mass, band; instructed in others,
besides teaching private classes; was second
leader of Browns Brigade Band, and has
played with credit and prominence in Gill
more's. Reeves, Cadet and Baldwin's bands,
etc. Besides all this, Mr.. Theme is hard
worker in his profession, is very skillful
anu eihcieHt afranSeT anu composer OF no
ordinary merit. \ funeral piece by him
composed to the memory of General Grant,
and another to the memory of General Me-
Clellan, have been highly praised and
are very beautiful and effective The band
under his leadership is both military
and orchestral. As military with its
neat uniform, it is the band of the State, in
demand by all frst-class organizations when
its duties will admit of its absence from the
Home Ii is the 'Home Band +" and dead
comrade to be inferred cannot be interfered
with by even the most prominent organizations
duty first, pleasure or business afterward
As an orchestra, here is where the band
shows its musical talent. The travelling com
panies making the round of what is known as
the New England Circuit" have, when at
our pretty little theatre in Togus, an orch IS
ira that cannO be excelled III New England
and equaled only in rare cases even at Bos-
ton. We at the Home are proud of our or
chestral band, proad of its music, proud of
its execution and proud of its leader. We
give the Instrumentation 2 first violins, =
second, | viola, | cello, bass, flute, pic
colo, 2 clarnets, | oboe, 2 comets, 2 horns,
| trombone, bassoon, glockenspel and tym
panies.
The band is widely known. 1t has the
name ana we DeiieVe the credt, OF being the
best at either of the five branches at present
comprising the National Home. In the sum-
mer season, or from May / to November /,
six days out of seven open air concerts of
one hour each are given. Many summer
tourists are among our chance visitors, and
the praises of the National Band of Togus
are sounded from every portion of New
England. The Sunday afternoon concerts
at 4 O'Clock, during the warm weather, are
celebrated, calling the first people of the
neighboring towns. Frequently over one
hundred carriages and from three to five
hundred people are gathered to listen to the
meodious strains. The band comprises
twenty pieces and of course the open air con-
certs are all military.
The band plays at our Sunday morning in
spections, dirges and funeral marches at the
interments assists at religious services plays
dance music at our parties and is, in fact,
one of our most important and prominent in
situations. Outside of the Home it is popu-
lar, Mr.. Theme acting as instructor to some
of the local bands, which are rapidly ncreas-
ing in efficiency and popularity under his
teaching. Our players are in demand at
Bath, at Gardiner or Augusta and frequently
in other and smaller towns. The band is now
composed largely of citizen players, as many
of the veterans are incapacitated by age and
feebleness from further service.